Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I had seen articles about the Arduino online and in some magazines, so put it on my Christmas list. My wife said she didn't know what I needed, so I should make my own order. I searched for Arduino-compatible items and ended up buying $165 of stuff to play with, including a book. Then I went back and got some more stuff and a second book. (Don't tell my wife--I told her $100 would do it.) I started through the tutorial in the book and became more interested and impressed with the capabilities. I told my 12 year-old grandson about it and he came to visit and learn. He told my daughter he would like to buy some Arduino items with money he had earned and she agreed he could. I had also promised I would share some of my items with him. Well, he did a better job of searching and found this kit. My daughter called and asked me to look at it online. My first reaction, before seeing the description, was that it might be more money than they would want to invest if they weren't sure. However, upon reading the details, I began to get really annoyed. There are considerably more capabilities in this kit than in all the stuff I bought--and the kit includes a book of tutorials describing it what you're doing very nicely. I went to my daughter's home to see his kit and looked at the book and went from annoyed to frustrated. The list of items it has that I didn't is depressing. When we left, I told my wife about it, and she told me to go ahead order the kit and enjoy it. So I did and now have two Arduinos. BTW, go to the sporting goods department of a discount store and get a clear plastic fishing tackle box, as used to hold lures and small items. Otherwise, the parts get mixed together and finding what you need is a real chore. I bought a box that is about 10 x 14 inches, with adjustable dividers to make compartments of various sizes. What's wrong with the kit? The only thing I can think of is the book is in smaller type than is convenient for someone with (mumble mumble) year-old eyes. I can read it, but I wish it were larger. It is also bound as a paperback and it would be nicer if it were spiral bound so it would lie flat. Well, the other thing wrong is that my grandson is about eight projects (chapters in the book) ahead of me and there is not a way I can catch up. That I have a PhD and have been teaching electronics for thirty plus years isn't helping my ego at all. Maybe I'll go over when he isn't home and spill his tackle box. As I write, this kit is out of stock. I hope more become available quickly, because at the price, there is no beating it. UPDATE: March 6, 2013 - the official Arduino store (in Italy) is still sold out, but an email said they're hoping to restock "shortly." A few vendors in the United States seem to have them in stock--at a tremendous variety of prices. Shop around, if you want one. UPDATE: March 1, 2015 - this kit has been in stock somewhere most of the time since I wrote the above. The Raspberry Pi and its imitators and clones have also been out for a little while. Deciding between the Raspberry and the Arduino (and its imitators) takes some doing. I'd suggest you decide what you want to do and figure out which does it best. There are online reviews and tutorials out the wazoo for both, as well as books in quantity. The Arduino is programmed in a variant of the C language, while the Raspberry in a variant of Python; neither is harder or easier--just different. I haven't bought a Raspberry Pi (yet) and don't have anything to recommend. If you want an Arduino and you're starting out without a well-equipped junk box, this is still the one to get. Shop around for price, since they're all the same kit. The Amazon suppliers come and go, depending on who has it in stock, and the price often varies considerably in just a week or two.